Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1887-06-24
Lynchinx In 81. Mary's County.

BENJAMIN Hance, the colorel man who IT.
tempted felonious assault on Miss Alice Baily,
in ST. Mary's county, some time ago, an ac-
count of which has heretofore been published
10 the TINES, was taken from he ill at Leonard
town at an early hour on Friday morning last
and lynched by party of masked men. His
body was found the same day swinging from
tree about two miles from Leonardtown. This
| is the 6rst lynchiug that has ever occurred in
| ST. Mary's county, and il is said thai the de-
lay in netting ont justice to the murderer Bis
coe is in a large measure responsible tor the
prompt and uniaw full action Of the outraged
community in this case. The following account
of The yachting is from an eyewitness:
Eyewitness of the lvnching say that about
| 2 O clock FRIDAY morning Is men, all mounted,
entered Leonard:o~n They tied Il cir horses
at the edge of The town and approached
the ill on foot from the back street
portion went to the srmory Of the Leonard
! town Rifles and stood guard over the hall. -
They were there TO pre~eni any one from lax
ing arms out Two mounted men rode down
the main street nd tied hsir horses in front OF
j4il, where they met the disn oua,ed men. The
leader St erned to be a man OF decision OF ehar'
acter. and had his men under good control
Mr.. Clements, the jsilor was reused and asked
10 take in prisoner. The supposed prisoners
name Was given as johnny Johnson, but
when Mr.. Clements asked the name OF the con
stable who had made the arrest il nonplussed
the lvnchers and they retired for conference.
After further parley with Mr.. Clements, the
lynchers attacked the frost door With ak s and
soon effected an entrance. They entered the
passage and at once went upstairs, seeming TO
know exactly where HaRce was confined. He
was the only prisoner in the Ill. Blows rained
On the heavy lock which vas on the outside OF
the outside door of Hance's cell. Ii resisted
for about half an hour, but hna ly gave way.
W ben the outer door was overcome formula
BILE inner door presented itself In this door
was large hole, through which meals, buckets.
&c, were passed 10 the prisoner. Hance, VINO
had lost his nerve, was called to this hole ana
pulled through it into the passage. Had he re-
fused TO come to the hole the lyncbers would
have been delayed in forcing the inner door,
and if time bad pressed would, by the light oil
their lamps, have shot him III bis cell. Com
pletely unnersed and overcome With fear he
obeyed all commands without reconnaissance
and without hesitation. Being man Of mod
crate stature he came through the hole into the
passage where the linchers were grouped with
out difficulty. He was Immediately hurried
downstairs and out into the courtyard, wbere
hi. hands were tied in front of his body. Hanc
was at once taken to a large locus, tree in tie
courtyard and opposite 10 the residence OF
gen tleman whose wife was very sick. THIS
q ntleman came out and said TO the ly achets
'-Gentlemeu, | know v hat you are going to do;
but if you hang Hance on that tree you will
d. srroy two or three lives" The party then
carried H.nce about two mites outside OF the
town to secluded spot and hung him to the
tree where his body was afterwards found sus-
pended.